


A Night in the Barn

by clgfanfic



Series: Alias Smith and Jones - A Night Series [1]
Category: Alias Smith and Jones
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-29
Updated: 2012-10-29
Packaged: 2017-11-17 06:31:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/548625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens with the actors meet their characters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Night in the Barn

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the zine Just You, Me and the Governor #1 under the pen name Shiloh.

          "I don't know," the curly, blond-headed man said to his dark-haired companion, sitting across the table from him in the dressing trailer.  The top of the table was littered with loose papers, stale donuts and empty sugar packets, the contents used to sweeten the coffee they sipped on.  The dark-haired man moved the conglomeration around with the eraser end of a pencil as the blond finished with a disgruntled shake of his head, "I just can't see it."

          The dark-haired man nodded, frustration showing equally on his face.  He turned his attention to the script lying amidst the clutter.  Picking it up, he shook off the cellophane that had covered that afternoon's lunch.  "Why don't we walk down to the barn and block it out for ourselves," he suggested.  "Then, if it really doesn't work we can let the crew know tomorrow morning, and we won't waste half a day on it."

          "Sounds good to me," the blond said, standing to stretch his tired, knotted muscles.

          They left the small dressing trailer, walking down the deserted western street toward the barn and livery.  Their boots, kicking up dust as they walked along, elicited a sneeze from the dark-haired man.  "Wish they'd water this down more often," he commented.

The blond gave him a sympathetic pat on the back.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          When they entered the barn, the blond flipped a switch and the entire building was lit by several overhead lights, hanging hidden in the rafters.

          "Hey, Pete, toss me that script, will you?"

The dark-haired man complied.

"Okay, so Curry is supposed to be leaning just inside the doors when the riders come in?"

          "That's what it says, Ben, my boy," Pete acknowledged.

"Great.  I still don't see how I'm supposed to draw on them if they're halfway across the barn, half under cover, and Heyes is standing right in the way.  No self-respecting bad guy would be worried in the slightest."  Ben walked over to stand next to the doors, waving a hand in Pete's direction to complete the point.

          "That's why we're here in the barn at…"  Pete checked his watch.  "…midnight, remember?" came the amused response.

          "Thanks, Pete," Ben said.  "The least you could do is put up a decent imitation of a posse of bounty hunters so I can picture this better."

          Pete smiled his famous crooked grin.  "Oh, is that what I'm here for?  Sorry, I thought for a moment I was just here to supervise."  He walked over to stand in one of the stalls.

          "Cute, really cute," Ben said, then smiled at his co-star.  "Okay, I'm leaning against the doors, like so…"  Ben imitated his words, leaning back against the make-believe closed doors, his arms folded across his chest, relaxed.  "…the bounty hunters come riding in, which throws the doors open."

Ben ran forward in an imitation of being thrown inward by the opening doors, stopping several feet further into the barn.  Looking back over his shoulder, he threw himself to the right and into a large pile of hay, just avoiding being run down by the invisible riders.

          "Heyes has just come out of the stall in time to see the Kid being thrown in, and diving out of the way," Pete said, walking out into the middle of the barn, several yards ahead of where Ben now lay in the hay.  "He sees the riders and lunges out of the way, just in the nick of time, of course."

Pete lunged forward, throwing his arms open up to catch himself around one of the large posts that supported the loft above them.

"He swings around the post, watching as the men all slide their horses to a stop and rein them around."

Pete pushed away from the post, apparently headed back to the cover of the stall, staring in the direction of the unseen riders.  He stopped and frowned.  "We _are_ in trouble," he said, turning back to look at Ben who was on his feet, his gun drawn and pointing toward Pete and the unseen bounty hunters.

          "You're absolutely right.  Not to mention the fact that I'd be right in the line of fire, and I value my hide more than that," came a voice from the entrance of the barn.

Pete and Ben turned in unison to look at the source of the comment.  Their mouths fell open.

          "That's right, Heyes," said a young blond man standing next to the dark-haired speaker, his hand resting lightly on the man's shoulder.  "Besides, I'd never be dumb enough to lean against a set of closed doors when there's people out there chasin' us.  That's just askin' for trouble."

          "Hmm," concurred Heyes with a nod.  "You boys really oughta be doin' better than this by now.  I mean, you both seem like you're reasonably well equipped, upstairs."  He pointed to his head.  "I would 'a thought it would be easier for you."  He paused, looking over his shoulder, a worried expression on his face.  "You hear that, Kid?"

          The Kid nodded, moving past Heyes, who had entered the barn as he spoke.  Curry moved to pull the barn doors closed.  "Get those lights off," he directed Ben.

Ben complied after a quick glance at Pete, who shrugged, a totally confused look on his face.

          _Pete must have set this up, that, or I'm going to need professional help_ , Ben thought as he pulled the switch to plunge the barn into darkness again.

          "Better get out of the way, friend," Heyes told Pete, who followed Hannibal into the stall he had exited earlier, his mind racing.

          _This can't be real_ , Pete thought as he watched Heyes join him in the stall.   _They're fictional characters!  I've got to get some more sleep, I'm starting to see things.  I think_.

"Hey, Kid?" Heyes whispered.

"Yeah, Heyes?"

          "See that rope over there by the door?"

          "Yeah, I see it."

          "Grab it and toss me an end.  Between the four of us we ought to be able to give those guys a bit of a surprise."  Heyes grinned down at Pete, who returned the look, an answering gleam in his own eyes.

          _I do like him_ , Pete thought.  _Wait a minute, what am I saying?  This can't be real!_

          One end of the rope landed nearby with a thud and Heyes reached out and pulled it around another of the large posts holding the hayloft up.  Pete gripped the rope, his hands next to Heyes'.  He could feel the warmth of the man's hands.   _Ben must have set this up, I know he did.  I sure as hell_ hope _he did_.

          "You ready?" Heyes asked.

          "I'm always ready," Pete replied.

Heyes smiled.

_Ben better remember this if he_ didn't _set it up_.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "They'll be here any minute now," Kid said softly as he and Ben stood, holding their end of the rope.  "Pull as hard as you can when I do," he instructed.

          "You've got it," Ben said, grinning at the blond man who returned the smile in kind.   _These two really are good_ , Ben thought, then realized the implications.   _God, I'll be believing in the tooth fairy next!_

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

The doors burst open and five men entered the darkened barn, riding hard for the other side.

"Pull!" Heyes yelled and they all did.

The rope went taut and the first three horses fell, their riders flying into the ground where they stayed, unmoving.

          One of the remaining horses reared, the rider sliding easily off the animal's back.  Heyes and Pete lunged out from the cover of the stall.  Grabbing a shoulder apiece, they planted their fists on the man's jaw in tandem, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.  They grinned.

          The final rider had made it off his horse and was going for his gun.  "I wouldn't do that if I were you," the two blond men chorused, their guns trained on the rider.

          Kid looked over at Ben.  "Not bad," he said.

"Thanks," Ben said.  _I sure hope I'm dreaming._

          "Not bad?  That was great!" Pete enthused, walking over to pound his partner soundly on the back.  The pair looked at each other, smiles spreading.  Pete pounded Ben once more on the shoulder.  "That was really great, you guys.  I don't believe we—" Pete began, turning to look for the pair.  Heyes, Curry and the five riders were gone.

          "Did we just see, what I thought we just saw?" Ben asked after they stood together in silence for several moments.

          "I think we've been working too hard," Pete told him, ignoring the question.  "Why don't I buy you a cup of coffee, then…"  He paused, looking around the empty barn once more.  "…we'd better go home and get some sleep."

          "I think you're right, I surely do," Ben said, laying a hand on Pete's shoulder as they left the barn, not once looking back as they headed for the trailer.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Heyes ran a hand through his dark hair and looked across the campfire at Curry.  The Kid was watching him with the strangest expression Heyes had ever seen him wear.  Hannibal finished, "…so, that's it, but it's got to be the strangest dream I've ever had."

          "I'm afraid I've got something even stranger to tell you, cousin."

          Heyes gave the Kid a perplexed look, doubting it could be true.  "What?"

          "I had the same damn dream!"

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Pete and Ben sat in their chairs as the makeup people applied the last touches.

"So, how'd you sleep?" Ben asked when they finally finished and left.

          Pete gave him a wry smile.  "You mean you actually think I slept last night?"

          Ben chuckled.  "To tell you the truth, I didn't close my eyes the whole night!"

          "Me, either."

          "We're ready in the barn, fellas," said the director as he walked up from behind them, laying a hand on both their shoulders.  They jumped.  "What's got you two so nervous?  Ah, I know.  You both look like you could do with some sleep.  Try going to bed at night once in a while, instead of parties, will you?  You two look terrible."

          They smiled.

"We'll definitely consider it," Pete said.

The walk to the barn was longer than either of them remembered.  They made it to the open doors, and stopped.

          Leaning against them they glanced around at the cameras, the lights and the crew who were putting the finishing touches on the set.

          "Hey!  Someone get that damn rope out of the way, will you?!"

          The horses could trip over the thing," the director yelled as he stalked over to his chair.  "Where the hell did that come from, it wasn't here yesterday.  Damn security people, letting people in here in the middle of the night, screwing my set up, all I need is some damn horse to trip and someone getting hurt… law suits…"

          Pete and Ben slowly looked at one another.  "Uh, just a minute.  About this scene…" they chorused, starting forward in unison…


End file.
